Guided tour

Bologna: 3-Hour Secret Food Tour

4.8  / 5313 reviews
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Guided tour
Bologna: 3-Hour Secret Food Tour
4.8  / 5313 reviews

Take a 3-hour tour of Bologna for a combination of flavorful ingredients, local produce, old-world knowledge and a centuries-old passion for food in the country's culinary capital.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 3 - 3.5 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English
Small group
Limited to 10 participants

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

A
Alice – United States

The tour was amazing! Gabriele did a wonderful job of explaining what makes food in Bologna so unique from the rest of Italy and the world, and he was friendly and funny! The food was delicious, and we got a perfect variety of food from the city. My family of 4 (kids age 13 and 11) loved it! Highly recommend!

A
Alice – United States
C
Chris – United States

First, the tour site description underpromises while the tour delivers. The best: you learn about and taste many different dishes from the region: pastries, pasta, Balsamico, wine, gelato, and coffee. You’ll see how the sfoglina prepares the pasta (you won’t try or participate, but you can take photos). You’ll visit a shop (more of a deli) and learn of various types of pasta (where you can buy you won’t taste). You’ll taste aged Balsamico di Modena in a wine cellar (though this was rushed and no photo opp). You’ll wander through the famous Quadrilatero. You’ll visit the famous Osteria del Sole (dating to 1465 and highlighted by Stanley Tucci) where you’ll taste the local Parmigiano Reggiano, meats, and Lambrusco. You’ll sit down at a great Italian spot to try tortellini (or tortelloni) and a fettuccine bolognese. You’ll finish with gelato. Our guide, Claire, was fantastic. This is a fun but no frills tour, and I would recommend it if you don’t want to plan yourself.

C
Chris – United States

Experience

Highlights

  • Fun and experienced local guide
  • Head to a bottega to select some local cheeses and a charcuterie samples
  • Stroll through Bologna's main square to end your tour with an artisanal gelato
  • Choose between a shared or private experience

Full description

n our Secret Food Tour: Bologna, we'll provide you with an unforgettable taste experience. We'll take you to a small trattoria to sample the traditional Ragù alla Bolognese (Bolognese sauce), sample and learn why the authentic Parmigiano Reggiano is so special, sip 8-12-24 year-old balsamic vinegar from Modena, enjoy a carefully selected Charcuterie sampler from Emilia-Romagna and enjoy homemade, fresh pasta is created by Bologna's very own sfogline (pasta-makers). We'll start with a traditional welcoming sweet. Then, we'll visit one of the oldest Salumeria of the city to learn more about the local meat products and the famous pastas. You'll enjoy: Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella di Bologna and many more regional cold cuts in the oldest Osteria in the world with a glass of our local wine. Next we have planned a taste of fresh, handmade pasta made just for us at a local Trattoria, always with a glass of local wine. Then we will visit the main local food market, called Quadrilatero, and we'll enjoy a tasting of different types of balsamic vinegar from Modena (8-12-25 years of aging) to discover how this amazing tradition is still deeply rooted in this region. And to end the tour on a sweet note, we will finish our culinary adventure with a traditional artisanal gelato, one of the best ones in the city. As with all our tours, there's our delicious Secret Dish.

Includes

  • Local welcome sweet
  • Parmigiano Reggiano
  • Two traditional types of homemade pasta
  • Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella Bologna, and other regional cold cuts
  • 8, 12, 25-year-old aged Balsamic vinegar from Modena
  • Artisanal gelato
  • Secret dish
  • A selection of local wines (red and white)
  • Water
  • Transportation
  • Pickup and drop-off

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Palazzo della Mercanzia, Piazza della Mercanzia 4, 40125, Bologna, Italy. Our guide will welcome you with an orange umbrella and a big smile!

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Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes

Not allowed

  • Baby strollers

Know before you go

  • Please specify any dietary restrictions during booking
  • Children under the age of 2 years are welcome to join the tour without a ticket, but their presence must be notified upon booking of the tour at bologna@essor.co.uk
  • You are strongly advised against bringing strollers/pushchairs on the tour
  • Most of the shops and restaurants included in the tour are small local businesses; they will be at their full capacity by the time you reach them and will not be able to accommodate strollers/pushchairs. If you have any doubt or concern regarding this matter, please contact the tour operator promptly. They will be happy to find a solution that will allow you to fully enjoy our tour
  • Pork meat is at the core of Bologna’s traditional food. Please let the tour operator know if you have any dietary needs
  • The legal drinking age in Italy is 18 years-old

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 313 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.8/5
  • Value for money
    4.6/5
  • Service
    4.8/5
  • Organization
    4.8/5

Filter

By star rating

Sort by:

A
Alice – United StatesNovember 26, 2024  – Verified booking
The tour was amazing! Gabriele did a wonderful job of explaining what makes food in Bologna so unique from the rest of Italy and the world, and he was friendly and funny! The food was delicious, and we got a perfect variety of food from the city. My family of 4 (kids age 13 and 11) loved it! Highly recommend!
Helpful?
C
Chris – United StatesOctober 21, 2023  – Verified booking
First, the tour site description underpromises while the tour delivers. The best: you learn about and taste many different dishes from the region: pastries, pasta, Balsamico, wine, gelato, and coffee. You’ll see how the sfoglina prepares the pasta (you won’t try or participate, but you can take photos). You’ll visit a shop (more of a deli) and learn of various types of pasta (where you can buy you won’t taste). You’ll taste aged Balsamico di Modena in a wine cellar (though this was rushed and no photo opp). You’ll wander through the famous Quadrilatero. You’ll visit the famous Osteria del Sole (dating to 1465 and highlighted by Stanley Tucci) where you’ll taste the local Parmigiano Reggiano, meats, and Lambrusco. You’ll sit down at a great Italian spot to try tortellini (or tortelloni) and a fettuccine bolognese. You’ll finish with gelato. Our guide, Claire, was fantastic. This is a fun but no frills tour, and I would recommend it if you don’t want to plan yourself.
Helpful?
G
GetYourGuide traveler – United StatesNovember 25, 2024  – Verified booking
kat was an amazing guide she gave us so much information not only about the food but the city itself. She seems to thoroughly enjoy what she does and it shows in the way she operates her tour.
Helpful?

Product ID: 173310

Activity provider:Essor

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